Pate, Patton finish second

Saxton, Weers earn third-place medals

DES MOINES — Area competitors had a successful weekend at the Coed State Track Meet here on May 16-18, with several competitors finishing with high places.

Clarke senior Sarah Pate capped off her stellar high school career with a second-place finish in the shot put and a third-place finish in the discus.

Pate threw 40-9.50 on her second throw of the shot put competition on May 17 after fouling on her first attempt. That throw qualified her for finals of the event, and held up to place her second.

Dasiana Larson of Garner-Hayfield won the event with a throw of 41-7.50 on her first attempt.

"I was extremely proud of her (Pate)," Clarke head girls coach Renee Henry said. "On the shot on Thursday, I wish she could have ended up with a little bit further throw, because I feel she would have been happy with that, but it was a really good way to finish her high school shot put career."

In the discus competition, Pate already had guaranteed herself at least third place heading into her final throw of the day, having thrown 138-8 on her fifth throw.

But Pate launched a throw of 140-1 on her final throw to better her mark.

"With the discus, I was absolutely thrilled with her throw," Henry said. "Third place was amazing. Those girls were really launching it out there. She threw almost one of her furthest throws. I don't think there was anything else she could have done that day."

Patton close

Murray junior Kate Patton became a breakout start at the state meet, winning a medal in each of the four events in which she competed, finishing eighth in the long jump and fifth in the 400 meters on May 17, and capping off her junior campaign with a silver medal in the 100 meter dash and third in the 200 meter dash on Saturday.

Patton and Manson Northwest Webster junior Ellie Herzberg had a showdown in the 100 meter dash finals, with Herzberg coming out on top with a 12.61 compared to Patton's 12.74.

"I knew Ellie was going to be really good," Patton said. "She's going to beat me out of the blocks for sure, but I was just hoping my sprint at the end would beat hers. And I felt like I was gaining on her, she just had too big a lead."

Herzberg became just the fourth girl in Iowa high school history to win the 100 meters, 200 meters and 400 meters in the same state meet.

If there's good news for Patton knowing that Herzberg will be standing in her path toward a state championship next year, it's that Patton knows exactly what she needs to do in order to win a state championship.

"I definitely want to be a state champion," Patton said. "I need to get stronger, get in the weight room and work on blocks. A lot of it is just repetition, trying to get better and improving my times. I just need to work on blocks, because if I work on them, then I'll be really good next year."

Clarke senior Logan Weers finished third in the 110 high hurdles on Saturday, running 15.08.

Weers got out to a quick start in the race, but over the final three hurdles, CMB Baxter's Bryce Kemp and Emmetsburg's Cody Henderson caught Weers and edged him out for a state title.

"Before the race, I was really excited, full of energy," Weers said. "Got a great start. I hit a couple of hurdles, but I was so intent, I was pushing through it. I just didn't have enough in the end."

Even though he didn't achieve his goal of winning a state championship, the Central College recruit said he was happy with how his career ended.

"You know, I'm happy. I made it to finals in state, so it's an honor to run with the best kids," Weers said. "It was pretty exciting. I'm happy with the end of my senior year."

Saxton places

Central Decatur junior Caitlyn Saxton earned her team seven team points by placing third in the 100 meter dash and eighth in the 200 meter dash.

Saxton entered the 100 meter dash finals with the third-best qualifying time and held up that place, finishing third in 13.11.

Kaylee Jones of Monticello won the race, running 12.74.

"I went in third and I figured me and the top two people were neck and neck," Saxton said. "It was pretty close. It was just awesome to be out there. They're both seniors, so awesome job for them. I still have another year."

Saxton also finished eighth in the 200 meter dash, running 27.62.

She said she was very happy with her race in the 200 meter dash, since she didn't make finals in the event the previous year.

Sophomore teammate Hallie Linhart also scored team points for the Cardinals, finishing fifth in the high jump, clearing 5-2.

Linhart had not cleared 5-0 yet this season, with a best mark of 4-11.

She cleared the bar at 5-0 on her final attempt and then at 5-2, cleared on her second attempt.

"Amazing, especially since my PR before this was 4-11," Linhart said. "I cleared 5-2 at practice last week and I just thought I got lucky. I'm very excited for next year now."

I-35

Interstate 35 senior Ellen Lupkes finished off her career with an eighth place finish in the 100 meter hurdles on Saturday.

Lupkes ran 16.35 in the race.

"I felt a little slow coming out of the blocks and I kind of lost it in the last two hurdles," Lupkes said. "I guess it's better than getting here and not going home with a medal."

Lupkes said she was glad to have the opportunity to compete at the state meet.

"It's a little bittersweet, I guess, getting eighth," she said. "It was just a good opportunity and I'm glad I made it. We had another girl who made it last year and didn't make it this year, so it makes you appreciate it that much more."